surprisingly
|sur-prise-ing-ly|
B2
🇺🇸
/sərˈpraɪzɪŋli/
🇬🇧
/səˈpraɪzɪŋli/
(surprise)
unexpected astonishment
Etymology
Etymology Information
'surprise' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'surprendre,' where 'sur-' meant 'over' and 'prendre' meant 'to take.'
Historical Evolution
'surprendre' transformed into the Middle English word 'surprisen,' and eventually became the modern English word 'surprise.'
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'to take over or capture,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'to cause astonishment or wonder.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adverb 1
in a way that causes surprise or amazement.
The test was surprisingly easy.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:35